One Word, Friendship
by Morningstar Alchemist
Summary: A little look into Joey and Yugi's friendship. May be OOC. Rating may go up. *I hope to have the next chapter up by Friday*
1. Chapter 1

**One Word, Friendship**

School was its normal boring self, with its stupid teachers making there stupid speeches...

"Class, as you know the human heart is a pump that sends blood through the body throughout your life. During an average lifetime, the heart contracts more than 2.5 billion times..."

Of course Joey heard very little of this as he slowly started to nod off in class

------------------------------_Dream/Flashback_-----------------------------

_The alarm sounded quietly from the table next to his bed, and with a small thump it was off._

_Joey slid out from under the covers slowly, for his whole body ached with pain from last night,_

_with luck the old man would be asleep tell after he left for school..._

"_BOY!!!"_

_Joey's dream and hope crumbled as it did every morning when he was called for. Not wanting the old man to come into his room, Joey quickly pulled his shirt on noticing the ugly black/purple bruise on his side and went to the living room._

"_What is all this mess!!!" The Man yelled as he was pointing to a small pile of empty beer bottles_

"_..." Joey didn't answer right away. Was the man drunk now, or did he really not know that those bottles were all his... Joey sighed slightly and began to throw the bottles away, averting his gaze from the man to the floor. That was the first mistake of the day..._

_There was a thud followed by a crack and a blast of pain, and all Joey could do was hold his side and cower in the floor hoping that was all before school.._

Yugi glanced over at his sleeping friend once again, 'He is doing this a lot lately...Isn't he sleeping at home?' he thought. Joey shifted slightly showing his face which looked frightened 'should I wake him up' Yugi's thoughts were interrupted

"Mr. Mutou, could please pay attention," the teacher paused and looked at Joey, "and wake Mr. Wheeler too."

Yugi stretched his arm out to reach Joey, and patted him just below the arm on his right side

Joey let out a howl of pain as he clutched his side and fell to the floor... "Damn that hurt" he said through gritted teeth

Yugi shocked at his friend reaction, got out of his chair and went to Joey, "I'm sorry? I didn't think I hit you that hard. Are you ok? Do you need to go to the nurse?"

Joey regained himself and smiled at the concerned Yugi "Don't worry Yug, it's nothing." And with that Joey tried to stand but failed and fell back to the floor

At that Yugi was very worried "Teacher may I take Joey to the nurse?"

"Yes of course."

Yugi bent down and helped Joey up. Then together they moved around all the desks and starring class mates to the hall.

"Yug I'm fine," Joey said trying to shove Yugi away, but Yugi only held on tighter

"You're not fine! I barely touch you and you double over in pain, you keep falling asleep in class, you can't stand up, and you breathing is erratic!"

Joey had no answer to these. His side hurt terribly and he was having trouble breathing, 'that little kick this morning must of cracked a rib or two' he thought miserably

"Joey you can tell me anything." Yugi sighed, once again Joey had no answer.

'I want to tell you, but... What would you think of me? How would you reacted? _Well Yug, you see my dad thinks that sons are punching bags when he's drunk, and rag dolls when he's not_.' Joey shook his head, he just couldn't tell Yugi. Joey was tough he always won his fights, and Yugi had told him that he looked up to that.

They continued to walk down the hall in silence.

Ok this is my first story so I'd love to get Reviews. Tell me if you like it and if I should keep going. Thanks for reading, and I am going to be alittle slow to update cause school starts on the 5th and I have a lot of stuff to do before that. Thanks Again!


	2. Waiting

"Talking present"

"_Talking past/flashback"_

'Thinking present'

'_thinking past/flashback'_

**Waiting:**

The silence and waiting was getting to Joey. The nurses note said that there was an incident in the gym and that she would be back in about thirty. Now Joey had tried everything he could think of to get out of this situation, course that only took about five minutes. Now all he could do was think back to the last time he was in the nurses office...

------------------------------------------_flashback--------------------------------------------------------------------_

"_Joey listen, this is the eighth time you have been here this year! I have asked you who does this to you and you always say no one, or I fell, or some other stupid thing like that!" The nurse paused giving Joey more ice for his eye and continuing to bandage up in arm that has a nasty, infected, four inch long gash in it, that he said he got while running with a pitch fork on some old guys farm... "Joey, is you're father the one that's doing this?"_

_Joey stiffened, 'say no, say no, say no...Say yes!'_

"_No" Joey said coldly 'He'd kill me if I told.'_

"_Joey, if you don't tell me the truth I can't help you. If you said yes, He would never again be able to touch you... Fine Joey, but if I see you in here again I will call the police"_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Joey starred into space 'How do I get out of this? Well if it was Tristen...'

-------------------------------------------_If Tristen_--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Dude what happened, are you ok?"_

"_Oh nothing, just got into a fight with that one gang..." Joey ended lamely_

"_I hate those guy! You feel good enough to go bust some heads?"_

"_Maybe tomorrow"_

_And with that Tristen would just drop it..._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Joey shock his head, 'Tristen maybe, but Yugi would never fall for that... Well, what if it was Tea...'

-----------------------------------------------------_If Tea--------------------------------------------------------------_

"_Joey what happen? Does it hurt? Can I help? Do you want some water? Or ice? Who did this to you?"_

"_Don't worry Tea, it was my fault. Hey don't you have a dance thing coming up?? Man, I'd love to go. Could you get me tickets?"_

"_You would, of course I can get you tickets! Bye" Tea runs off..._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Joey shock his head again, 'Yugi doesn't dance, he doesn't do anything like dancing.' Joey glances sideways, Yugi was sitting there, swinging his legs slowly up and down. Joey got an idea...

"Yug, how abo-"

"No Joey, I don't want to go to my house and duel,"

Joey opened his mouth

"Or go to Burger World. I want to stay here and see how badly your hurt and see if the nurse knows what happen, and who did it!" Yugi said very firmly, with a touch of concern.

They heard the door open down the hall, and fear spread through Joey. But as he tried to stand up another sharp, twisting pain took his breath away and he fell back.

Thanks to Rock Livez On for reviewing last time

Ok I know this chapter was alittle boring but it will pick up. Please Review


	3. Fear

"Talking present"

"_Talking past/flashback"_

'Thinking present'

'_thinking past/flashback'_

They heard the door open down the hall, and fear spread through Joey. But as he tried to stand up another sharp, twisting pain took his breath away and he fell back.

Yugi stood up at the sound, squinting desperately to see if it was the nurse or not.

Suddenly a young redheaded student came in through the door, and Yugi sat back down defeated.

After regaining himself, Joey sighed, 'thank God that wasn't the nurse. I have to get out of hear, maybe...'

"Why are you so scared?" Yugi question seemed to have come from no where, but in fact he'd been thinking about the whole time.

Joey's eyes widened, "I'm not scared, Yug." His voice was neither strong nor convincing, and he knew it.

"Yes you are. I've known you long enough to tell when you are really afraid, Joey. I want to know what you are so scared of, in it the nurse? Or is it..." Yugi paused as if coming to a conclusion, "Is it something she knows?"

Joey's eyes widened even more if that was possible, "N-no Yug, I'm n-not..." but Joey never finished that sentence...

"Mr. Wheeler, what on earth..."

But the nurse was interrupted by Yugi, "Ms. Jones, Joey is hurt really bad, but he wont tell me what's wrong!" The frustration in his voice was obvious.

Joey squirmed under the eyes of both, 'I have to get out!!!' His thoughts were screaming.

He stood up, it took a lot out of him but he managed.

"Joey sit back down, you're really hurt," the panic was now evident in Yugi's voice, as he eyed his staggering friend. "Joey please sit down."

"Yes Mr. Wheeler you look extremely pale," Ms. Jones walked to the office door.

"NO," Joey shouted with all his might, though it hurt horribly. "You can't call them." The staggering Joey was ready to make a bolt for it, even if every part of his body was screaming for him to stop.

Yugi seemed to see it to, because he blocked the door just slightly. "Joey what do you mean, you can't call them. Call who??

"He means the police, right Joey," Ms. Jones had come back from the office with her cell phone. "Joey, please tell me, who does this to you?" She paused, "Yugi, don't let him leave, I think his injuries are very serious this time." She began to dial.

Every part of Joey's body tensed up, 'if she dials...it's all...over.' And then his mind was made up. "Sorry," Joey muttered, as he ran with all his might to her, hitting the phone from her hand. And as it smashes on the floor, Joey knocked Yugi out of the way and ran through the hall and out the door...

**A/N:** Thanks for reading, I'll try to update again soon and I am sorry it took so long. In November it may be longer in-between 'cause I am the stage manager for a play and will be in swim teambut I will try my best. Please R and R thank you again.


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